England coach Peter Moores has rejected criticisms his side's slow over-rate contributed to their failure to win the first Test against India here at Lord's.

The hosts were just a wicket away from going 1-0 up in the three-match series when bad light and rain on Monday's final afternoon ended play with India, at 282 for nine, on the brink of defeat.

England had fallen five short of the required over-rate on Sunday evening and were a further five behind by the time the elements ended the game.

However, Moores said he was happy for England captain Michael Vaughan to take his time over setting the field.

"We have to look at the bigger picture," said Moores. "If we're a couple of overs short in a session because the captain has moved the field and it's gone towards getting a wicket then it's great.

"At certain stages of the game it sometimes takes time to set things up. I thought Michael Vaughan was outstanding in his captaincy and trying to winkle out some of the batsmen who were intent on trying to save a Test match.

"Could we have saved a minute here or 30 seconds there, could we have run a bit harder to retrieve that ball? You could go on forever.

"There are arguments either way, but I don't really think it was that influential to the outcome of the match."

One huge plus for Moores was the performance of their pace attack at Lord's which produced arguably England's best collective bowling display since the Ashes-winning series of 2005.

Recalled seamer James Anderson took a Test-best five for 42 in the first innings, left-arm quick Ryan Sidebottom continued the form he'd already shown this season and Chris Tremlett took some important wickets on debut.

Indeed England came within a whisker of bowling India out twice despite missing the injured pace trio of Matthew Hoggard, Stephen Harmison and all-rounder Andrew Flintoff.

"Sometimes injuries, although they are frustrating, can also be quite exciting because it gives opportunities to younger players to come in and do it and we saw people do it in that Test match," Moores said ahead of the second Test, which starts at Trent Bridge on Friday.

"We also saw one man just miss out in Stuart Broad and it would have been good to have a look at that as well.

"This is where the system the ECB have in place is good because we have someone like Kevin Shine working with players waiting to get into the squad. With Allan Donald working with the squad it's a good combination and that progression has been very positive."

Broad has been put on standby for Trent Bridge where Hoggard, ruled out of the second Test having failed to regain full fitness following the back spasms that kept him out at Lord's, could also turn up.

England will look to monitor Hoggard's recovery with the aim of allowing him to play for Yorkshire in the week leading up to the final Test at the Oval.